Although both temporary and permanent staging and lighting trusses and platforms have been used throughout the world for several decades, the storage and/or transporting of the presently available rigid and welded trusses and platforms results in high costs and other challenges due to the large volume (i.e. very low density) and size of these elongated rigid trusses. Furthermore, special event stages or platforms constructed with presently available permanently rigid trusses or components may present additional challenges, including required modification of various and different components of the truss, or the required use of unusual one-of-a-kind components. These modifications or use of different components may challenge the integrity of the platform. The present invention alleviates many of the disadvantages of assembling, storing or transporting a typical and even a special event stage by providing an easily assembled (and disassembled) truss that is robust and allows great flexibility during assembly of a staging platform without compromising the integrity of the staging platform.